Railway tie



R. J. WELLS March 10, 1925.

RAILWAY TIE Filed Feb. 15. 1924 an m m Patented Mar. 10, 1925. 7 7 5 UNITED STATES RALPH J. WELLS, OI DAYTON, OHIO.

RAILWAY TIE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH J. WELLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Ties, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway ties, and more part cularly to an improvement of the construction disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,218,141, granted March 6, 1917.

Whereas the prior patent mentioned contemplated the employment of a pan or receptacle as a receiver for the sleeper block, the present device embodies a plate upturned or flanged at its ends, and interposed between the upstanding flanges of parallel spaced angle bars, upon the horizontal flanges of which the seat plate rests, whereby the standing flanges of such angle bars will form the opposite side walls of the receptacle, which receives the sleeper and interposed cushioning material.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation of constructing such railway ties, whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction, but will be more eflicient in use, of increased strength and durability, easily assembled, and unlikely to get out of repair. I I With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear inthe specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation or their equivalents as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. y

In the accompanying. drawings, wherein is shownthe preferred, but obviously, not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tie, embodying the present invention, from which one of the sleeper blocks has been removed. Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the tie from a different position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one endof the tie structure separated into its component parts. Fig. 4 is a detail sectionalview through one end of the tie and the sleeper block seated thereon. I Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of a track installation employing the tie form ng the sub iect matter hereof. I Like parts are indicated by similar char Application filed February 15, 192$. Serial No. 693,000. I

acters of reference throughout the several views.

While the tie construction herein dis closed may be employed for open track installation, or in the construction of cross country trackage, it will find its greatest: field of usefulness in urban construction, wherein the ties are usually embedded in a concrete foundation or roadbed. The primary purpose of this tie as well as those of the j prior patents mentioned is to afford a requisite degree of resiliency, which will not only improve traflic conditions, but when embedded in concrete sub-structure will absorb shock and vibration and so prevent breakage and disintegration of the concrete sub-structure. The tie in such installation becomes in effect a transverse reinforcing member for the concrete foundation, and so long as the concrete roadbed remains unbroken, it functions as a single enlarged sleeper or support which sustains traflic pressure, throughout the entire width of the track and as great length thereof, as is being utilized. It is thus possible to utilize the entire bearing surface of the concrete foundation or road-bed. Such concrete roadbed, however, if subjected to the ordinary traflic shock, and constant impact of car wheels, is liable to more or less breakage and. disintegration. The skeleton structure of the present tie, which in its ultimate form is substantially an integral steel frame, not only serves to reinforce and tie together the concrete road-bed, enabling it to resist breakage, but the sleeper block positioned at opposite ends of the tie structure and forming the rest or support for the track rails, aifords the necessary resiliency and serves to cushion the shock and vibration, thereby serving to further protect the concrete foundation or road-bed, against breakage and disintegration. Inasmuch as the shock or blow of car wheels upon an unyielding track structure is as detrimental to the rolling stock as it is to the track itself, the cushioning effect of the sleeper block seated at opposite ends of the present tie is equally advantageous to the railway equipment. While the wood sleeper block in itself possesses inherent resiliency, this resiliency is augmented in the present instance by an underlying stratum of asphalt or othersuitable resilientmate'rial, capable of absorbing shock and vibration. Such is as the prior patented tie construction disclosed in the patent mentioned. However, inasmuch as the commercial possibilities and the adoption of such tie depend to no small degree upon the cost of the tie and the facility and economy of manufacture, the present construction is designed to embody the advantageous features of the previously patented tie with less labor and expense but with greater durability and strength.

Referring to the drawing, 11 indicates two metallic angle bars, arranged in parallel spaced relation, with their horizontal flanges directed-onetoward the other. Seated 'upon the inturned horizontal flanges 2 of the bars 1, and in proximity to the opposite end of the bars. are two plates 3 having upturned terminal flanges 4:. extending transversely from the upstanding flange of one angle bar to that of the other. The partsot the tie frame are shown in Fig. 3 disconnected from each other. wherein the seat plate 8 is clearly shown as a channel shaped member, arranged transversely in relation with the angle bars 1-l. When in assembled relation the standing flanges of the angle bars 11 project above the plate 3 on opposite sides. and extend from one terminal flange 4 to the other, thereby forming the opposite side walls of an enclosure or recess seatof which the plate flanges 4:, form the transverse or terminal walls. The plate '3 is united to the angle bars 1, by any suitable means, such as welding, riveting, bolting or other method of effecting aunion or connection. The plate 3 may be of comparatively heavystocln'and thus afford a more resistant base or sup port for the sleeper block. It is particularly this feature of construction and assembly, which primarily distinguishes the present construction, from the prior patented tie. wherein the sleeper seat or receptacle was usually formed from sheet metal, with all four sides upturned to "form. a complete pan. \Vhile such construction ishighly desirable, and fully eflicient for certain types of installation, the present form of construction employing the channel shaped or flanged plate 3 of comparatively heavy stock, is to be preferred. where severe service conditions are to be encountered. The plate?) in the ,present instance not only forms a seat or support for the sleeper block, but it also forms an unyielding transverse tie orconnection between the angle bars 1-1, and when united therewith affords an integral rigid tie frame. To form a complete pan or enclosure from stool: of sutiicient thickness and strength is rather a dit'ticult and expensive operation. The construction and manufacture of the ties is materially cheapenetl by employing the plate 3, flanged at its ends, since such plate stock maybe rolled to hanneled form, and subsequentlysevered into the desired lengths. By such construction as herein disclosed, the manufacture of the tie is greatly facilitated and cost of pro duction is mi'i'iimized. Seated in each of the recessed seats or receptacles formed by the interconnected plate 3 is a sleeper block 5 of wood. his sleeper block 5 is shaped and proportioned to approximately lit the recessed seat formed by the plate 3 into which is placed a stratum 6 of asphalt *or other suitable resilient material. upon which the sleeper blOCl-I 5 is superposed. By fitting the sleeper block 5 to approximately the interior dimensions of the recessed seat, the displacement and exudation 'ot the asphalt or resilient cushion from the seat or receptacle is prevented. ()no 01. the objectionable features of such use of asphalt or similar material, heretofore. has been the tendency for the material to be displaced from beneath the sleeper block during warm Weather, by the pressure of traflic upon the block. Such material being of a semi-fluid character when warmed by summer heat will not readily pass through the smallcrevice, intervening bet-ween the side faces of the block 5 and the walls of the seat or receptacle. Such displacement is further prevented by chamtering the basecdges ot't'he block -5 as at 7, and locating aboutthe margins of the block and adjacentthe wallsof the receptacle a. strand of packing material preferably, though not necessarily asbestos. tow or other fibrous material. Such packing material will be displaced upwardly into the groove or channel formed by the chamfering of the base edge of the block by the upward pressure "ofthe resilientma terial 6 when subjected to displacement tendency by the pressure 'upon the sleeper block. This particular feature of the construction has been shown and claimed in a prior patent. but is here described as instruction tor the best method of employing the present invention. Clamp bolts 8 extending'throu g'h the sleeper -bl och 5 a nd having rail engaging clamp jaws 0 serve to se cure the track rail in place.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus 'provideda device of the character described possessing the particular features 0 advantage before enumerated as desirable. but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions. detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the'principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the inventionhasbecn described in language more or less specific as tostructural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific'details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprises the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into ejfltect and the invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. In a railway tie a pair of oppositely disposed a le bars sneed one from the other with their horizontal flanges pro ecting toward each other, a seat for a sleeper block comprising a plate interposed between the angle bars and resting upon the horizontal flanges thereof, the ends of said plate having upstanding flanges extending transversely in relation with the standing flanges of the angle bars and forming therewith a socket to receive the sleeper block.

2. In a railway tie, a air of an le oppositely disposed in spaced relatlon with their horizontal flanges extending one toward the other, a channel member interposed between the angle bars and at right angles thereto, the standing flanges of the channel member co-acting with the standing flanges of the angle bars to form a recessed seat to receive a sleeper block.

3. In a railway tie, a plate having upturned flanges at its opposite ends, a )ai r connectin bars extending on opposite sides 0 sale plates and ovegrlap p n open sides of the flanged plates to form wo'"iii'tei onm'dso'chetsreceiving the sleeper blocks.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 16 day of January A. D. 1924.

RALPH J. WELLS. Witnesses HENRY F. NOLAN, GEORGE C. HELMIG. 

